Adam Henson explains the miraculous process of a cow giving birth
A cow calving is something I’ve witnessed hundreds of times with the rare and native breed cattle on our farm park in the Cotswolds.
Over the years I’ve played ‘midwife’ to everything from the little Dexters and the hardy Belted Galloways all the way to the mighty Highland cow and Herefords. But no matter how often you see it, there’s always something very special about being present at the beginning of a brand new life.
Like humans, the gestation period for cattle is around nine months and in the same way that expectant women are scanned, it’s quite common for pregnant cows to have an ultrasound scan too. It’s the best way to confirm the pregnancy (or establish if there are conception problems in the herd). The farm vet can check that the foetus is healthy, developing well and also establish the date when the cow should give birth.
How do you know when a cow is close to calving?
As calving approaches, there are several tell-tale signs that the birth is imminent. First of all, the udders enlarge and the teats fill out. Exactly when this happens, and by how much, will depend on the age of the cow and whether she’s a first-time mother (heifer) or has calved before.
Next, her rear will begin to swell, there might be mucus- like secretions and, for the sake of comfort, she’ll move her tail to one side. Then later, as labour approaches, she’ll become restless and uncomfortable, kicking or repeatedly lying down and getting back up again.
It’s likely the cow will go off her food and often she will isolate herself from the other members of the herd. Her amniotic sac or water bag will appear and once it breaks the contractions become stronger. Normally the calf will be born within the hour.
But, of course, sometimes human assistance is needed. If the mother is having difficulties or the calf is in the wrong position, then it’s time to step in with warm water, towels and disinfectant nearby. If the right thing is to pull the calf out, it’s easier all round if the cow is lying on her side and you only pull when she pushes; that way the calf has a chance to rest between contractions.
What happens once the calf is born?
The farmer can often encourage the calf to take its first breath by tickling its nostrils with a piece of straw. The calf will hopefully react with a sneeze and then immediately take in a big gulp of air. That normally does the trick – but if the little one still isn’t breathing, then manually moving it in to a sitting position, or even splashing cold water on to its head, are all tried and tested ways to get the lungs working.
Once the calf has been delivered, the cow will lick her newborn. This simple, instinctive action not only helps to clean and reassure the calf but it also creates a bond between mother and offspring.
The first milk will be Mother Nature’s own super food, colostrum. It’s packed full of nourishment, protein and the disease-beating antibodies to give the calf the best possible start in life.
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